Eryngium plant named ‘White Star’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Eryngium  plant named ‘White Star’, characterized by its upright plant habit; strong thick stems; strong and durable leaves; white-colored flowers on dense flower heads; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Eryngium alpinum.

Cultivar denomination: ‘WHITE STAR’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Eryngium plant, botanically known as Eryngium alpinum, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘White Star’.

The new Eryngium plant is a naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of an unnamed selection of Eryngium alpinum, not patented. The new Eryngium plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within a population of plants of the parent selection in a controlled outdoor nursery environment in Rijnsburg, The Netherlands in June, 2004.

Asexual reproduction of the new Eryngium plant by cuttings in a controlled environment in Rijnsburg, The Netherlands since June, 2004 has shown that the unique features of this new Eryngium plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Eryngium have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘White Star’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘White Star’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Eryngium:

-   -   1. Upright plant habit.     -   2. Strong thick stems.     -   3. Strong and durable leaves.     -   4. White-colored flowers on dense flower heads.     -   5. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Eryngium differ from plants of the parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Eryngium have lighter-colored and more         durable leaves than plants of the parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Eryngium and the parent selection differ in         flower color as plants of the parent selection have blue-colored         flowers.

Plants of the new Eryngium can also be compared to plants of the Eryngium alpinum ‘Sapphire Blue’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 11,088. Plants of the new Eryngium differ from plants of ‘Sapphire Blue’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Eryngium had larger flowers than plants of         ‘Sapphire Blue’.     -   2. Plants of the new Eryngium and ‘Sapphire Blue’ differed in         flower color as plants of ‘Sapphire Blue’ had dark violet         blue-colored flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Eryngium plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Eryngium plant.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘White Star’ grown in a one-gallon container.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of typical inflorescences of ‘White Star’.

The photograph on the third sheet is a close-up view of typical leaves of ‘White Star’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants grown during the late spring and early summer in an outdoor nursery in Rijnsburg, The Netherlands under environmental conditions and cultural practices which approximate those generally used in commercial Eryngium production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 14° C. to 28° C. and night temperatures ranged from 4° C. to 16° C. Plants were one-year old when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Eryngium alpinum ‘White Star’. -   Parentage: Naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of an unnamed     selection of Eryngium alpinum, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots.—About 20 days at soil temperatures             of about 14° C. to 16° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About 40 days at soil             temperatures of about 14° C. to 16° C.         -   Root description.—Thick, fleshy; creamy white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Moderately dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form/growth habit.—Herbaceous perennial; upright plant             habit; moderately vigorous growth habit; strong, thick             stems.         -   Plant height.—About 64 cm.         -   Plant diameter or spread.—About 26.7 cm.         -   Stem description.—Length: About 48.1 cm. Diameter: About             9 mm. Internode length: About 6.8 cm. Aspect: Upright.             Strength: Strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous; longitudinally             ridged. Color: Close to 193A to 193B; longitudinal stripes,             close to 138B. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, simple.         -   Length.—About 9.1 cm.         -   Width.—About 9.3 cm.         -   Shape.—Lower leaves, orbicular; stem leaves, palmately             lobed.         -   Apex.—Lower leaves, broadly acute; upper leaves, narrowly             acute.         -   Base.—Hastate.         -   Margin.—Lower leaves, serrate; upper leaves, serrate to             laciniate.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous;             somewhat leathery.         -   Venation pattern.—Palmatifid, reticulate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 137C and             138A. Developing leaves, lower surface: Between 143B and             144A. Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to N137A             to N137B; venation, lower leaves, close to 145C to 145D;             venation, upper leaves, close to NN155C to NN155D. Fully             expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 146B to 146C;             venation, close to 146A.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 2.7 cm. Diameter: About 5 mm.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color,             upper and lower surfaces: Close to 14A. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement and flowering habit.—Single rotate             flowers arranged on dense cylindrical flower heads; flowers             sessile; inflorescences terminal or arising from leaf axils;             freely flowering habit with usually about 500 flowers             developing per inflorescence. Flowers face upright and             outwardly.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants of the new Eryngium begin             flowering about ten months after planting and flower             naturally from late spring throughout the summer in The             Netherlands.         -   Flower longevity.—Flowers last about ten days on the plant             and about ten days as a cut flower; flowers persistent.         -   Inflorescence height, terminal inflorescences.—About 8.3 cm.         -   Inflorescence diameter, terminal inflorescences.—About 14             cm.         -   Flower diameter.—About 5 mm.         -   Flower length (depth).—About 8 mm.         -   Flower bud.—Shape: Elliptic. Length: About 7 mm. Diameter:             About 2 mm. Color: Close to 137D; towards the base, close to             138D.         -   Petals.—Arrangement: Five petals in a single whorl. Length:             About 4 mm. Width: About 0.5 mm. Shape: Spatulate. Apex:             Rounded. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces:             Smooth, glabrous. Color: When opening, upper and lower             surfaces: Close to 157D. Fully opened, upper and lower             surfaces: Close to 157D.         -   Sepals.—Arrangement: Five sepals in a single whorl. Length:             About 4 mm. Width: About 1.5 mm. Shape: Ovate. Apex: Acute.             Base: Cuneate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, immature, upper and lower             surfaces: Close to 138C. Color, mature, upper and lower             surfaces: Close to 138C.         -   Inflorescence bracts.—Arrangement: About four rows of 80             bracts subtending the inflorescence. Length: About 5.1 cm to             8 cm. Width: About 2.3 cm to 4.8 cm. Shape: Obovate. Apex:             Sharply apiculate. Base: Cuneate. Margin: Laciniate to             sharply serrate. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,             glabrous. Color, upper surface: Close to 157C and 196D.             Color, lower surface: Close to 191A to 191B.         -   Peduncles.—Length, terminal peduncles: About 16.3 cm.             Diameter, terminal peduncles: About 7 mm. Angle: Main             peduncle, erect; lateral peduncles, about 50° from vertical.             Strength: Strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous; longitudinally             ridged. Color: Close to 157C.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity/arrangement: About             five per flower. Filament length: About 2 mm. Filament             color: Close to 144C. Anther shape: Ovate. Anther length:             About 1 mm. Anther color: Close to 144C. Pollen amount:             Scarce. Pollen color: Close to 155A. Pistils: Quantity:             About three per flower. Pistil length: About 3.2 mm. Style             length: About 3.1 mm. Style color: Close to 155C. Stigma             shape: Rounded. Stigma color: Close to 155C. Ovary color:             Close to 145C.         -   Fruits and seeds.—Fruit and seed development have not been             observed on plants of the new Eryngium. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Eryngium have not been     shown to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Eryngium     plants. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Eryngium have exhibited good     tolerance to rain and wind, have been observed to high temperatures     of about 35° C. and to be hardy to USDA Hardiness Zone 6. 

1. A new and distinct Eryngium plant named ‘White Star’ as illustrated and described. 